


Clones

by renealew



Category: Batman - Fandom, Justice League - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, I have no idea how to tag, lex is a jerk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2020-04-07 13:53:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19086379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/renealew/pseuds/renealew
Summary: “I’ve been experimenting. And I’m happy to say it was very successful. I’m sure you would like to see what I’ve done, yes?”Uneasy silence answered him. It meant yes.





	Clones

**Author's Note:**

> Wish me luck, because sleep is non existent and my hand hurts from writing.

Lex always had a punch-able face, in Dick’s righteous opinion. But right now, he felt a need to punch more than once. Lex looked so smug, like he did something illegal. Which he probably did. Damn him. 

“You used the emergency call to bring us to an open field in the middle of North Dakota? What is the reason behind this?” An angry Wonder Woman was bad, but it only seemed to fuel Lex’s smugness.

”Ah, yes. It was the only way to get all of you here. The Nightwing kid is a bit of a surprise, but I’m not complaining.” Dick suppressed the urge to cringe as Lex laughed, but rather shifted a bit on his feet. This man always managed to make him uncomfortable.

”Why would you need all us here, Lex?” Superman growled, fists clenched at his sides. Dick sent up a silent prayer that the trees surrounding the plain would not end up on fire. Last time that happened, a sweet donation from Bruce Wayne was the only reason a forest still grows in Florida.

”I’ve been experimenting.” Lex answered. “And I’m happy to say it was very successful. I’m sure you would like to see what I’ve done, yes?”

Uneasy silence answered him. It meant yes.

Lex pulled out a small device from his jacket pocket, and pressed one of the many buttons. Immediately, the ground separating the man and the team split open with a roar. Nightwing watched, eyes wide, as a platform raised up from the broken ground and stopped a few inches above the ground. 

Sure, he’s seen this stuff before, he use to live with the Batman for Pete’s sake! But never, not once ever in his career, had he ever seen  _children_ on the platform.

There were six of them. Each dressed in black leggings and a different colored long-sleeved shirt. A white band was wrapped around their right arms, but they didn’t seem to mind as they sent small smiles at the league. One kid with dark ginger hair even waved. All of their smiles fell and blank faces took over when Lex started talking.

”Wonderful, aren’t they? Strength lies strongly within each of them.”

”What did you do to these children?” Zatanna breathed out. A few of the kids nudged each other, as if silently telling jokes. More grins were flashed before the blankness came back. It made Nightwing feel horrible amounts of rage and uneasiness at how easily the children could put on a mask.

”They’re clones, my dear.” Lex drawled. “I mixed my DNA with each of yours to create little versions of you. Let me introduce them. First is Superman’s clone.”

The boy in blue stepped forward, and  _flew_ off the platform. He landed softly in front of the league, with his back to Lex.

”His name is Kon’el, but prefers Kon. He has most of them same strengths as Superman, but he also has the same reaction to kryptonite.”

”The only reason he knows that is because he locked me in a room made out of the stuff.” Kon shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. “That rock hurts like hell. Raven and Cassie had to save me.” 

“Next!” Lex said without another glance at the kid, “This is Cassandra, better known as Cassie. She is Wonder Woman’s clone, with the same strengths, but a very different look and attitude. A demigod, if you will.”

A blonde girl in a red shirt also flew, and landed next to Kon. She smiled softly, but shifted into a defensive stance. 

“Hello, young one.” Diana said just as softly, as to not scare the children. Nightwing felt sick when the two only shifted closer. They probably couldn’t trust anyone but each other.

”Oh!” Another kid shouted, gaining the league’s attention. “I’m next!”

”Yes,” Lex glared at the kid, “this is Bart, Flash’s clone. Based on my experiments, he can do the same things Flash, but it took some, ah... _convincing._ ” 

It was the same kid who had waved earlier. And he was most definitely the Flash’s clone as he appeared on the other  side of Kon with a bright flash trailing behind him. He smiled widely, but Dick could read the fear on the boy as he shifted into a running stance. Barry tried to take a step forward, but froze when all three kids tensed. That was not a good sign.

”Next is Gar, Martian Man Hunter’s clone. He has the same skin tone, and is able to shape shift into animals. Sadly, that is the only strength he got.” 

A small boy in a green shirt stepped forward to the edge of the platform, and a horrible cracking sound echoed all around them. The league watched on, horrified, as Gar transformed into a hawk. The green hawk flew around a bit before landing on the ground next to Cassie, and it was then when Dick realized that his bones were  _snapping and rearranging_ themselves. The second Gar was human again, Cassie kneeled down and pulled him into a tight hug, murmuring something that Dick couldn’t hear. Kon and Bart moves to stand in front of the two, glancing back between Lex and the league.

”Disappointing how you still need a moment to get yourself together again, Gar.” Lex called out, making the boy bury himself further in Cassie’s hug.

”Hey!” Kon yelled as he whipped around to face the evil bald man. “That was faster than he’s ever done before!”

Lex simply frowned.

”Don’t start thinking that I didn’t notice your sloppy landing, Kon’el.”

”Can we move on? You’ve given us your disappointment already.” A boy in a black shirt called out. His equally black hair blew in the soft wind as he glared at Lex.

”Fine. Next is Raven, who, I will admit, was very hard to create. I had Zatanna’s DNA, but the magic did not pass through. So I got a bit of help.”

”From who?” Batman finally spoke up as the girl in purple floated gracefully and landed next to Gar and Cassie. She helped them both up without a single glance at the league. 

“Who helped you, Lex?” Bats repeated, on the verge of snarling. 

“Trigon.” The girl answered, her dark eyes trailing over the heroes. Nightwing felt a chill go down his back when he noticed the deep sadness in her eyes. It was equally chilling to realize that these kids had only known pain. They were so  _young._

After a horrible beat of silence, Lex smiled and chuckled darkly.

”Yes, Trigon was very helpful. Anyway, on to my personal favorite clone: Timothy. Better known as Tim, the Batman’s clone.”

The last boy on the platform - the one is black - started running, then did an Ariel flip and continued doing cartwheels and flips until he reached Bart. 

“Show off.” Bart whispered as he nudged Tim, who simply nudged him back and smiled. It was quickly washed away into a scowl when Lex started talking again.

”Tim is one of the smartest people I know, and he is equally fast and flexible. The only flaw is how terribly small he is, but nothing we did could make him muscular like the real Bat.”

Nightwing felt the ‘real bat’ stiffen next to him. Kon scowled deeply, and Tim laid a hand on his shoulder.

”Calm down, Kon. Wait for the signal.” Tim whispered, just loud enough for the league to hear.

Nightwing glanced over at the other heroes, noting confusion on their faces. Apparently none of them knew what the signal was, or what the kid’s plan was. Tim’s eyes flowed over the league, as if trying to figure out what to do. He finally spotted Nightwing, and bit the inside of his lip before speaking lowly.

”Will you help us? Please?”

“With what? How can we help?” Tim stared at the person he was cloned after, a slow smile spreading across his face.

”Ok, we’re all going to start fighting, which will bring Lex over to us. Once he’s close enough, Raven, Cassie, and Gar will pin him. Batman, Nightwing, Hunter and I will be going over to that oak tree to try to turn off the force field that is surrounding us. Bart, Kon, and the rest of you leaguers will circle the area. Shout when the field comes down.”

”Ok, a few quick questions.” Flash spoke up.

”Make it fast.” Tim blinked, then immediately cringed. “Sorry, didn’t mean to make that joke.”

”It’s alright. Why is there a force field? Why are you pining Lex down? And why, don’t take offense, but why should we trust you?”

”The force field is to keep you in if you try to take off. We’re pining Lex because these bracelets-“ Tim pointed at his “-are trackers that will shock us if we get too far. We need him to take them off. And I understand why you might not trust me, but I will remind you that I have the Batman’s DNA. I’ve replayed this plan in my head so many times, I’ve got it memorized.” Tim answered coolly, despite his narrowing eyes.

”We’ll help.” Nightwing said, glancing over at Lex, who was starting to look suspicious at all the whispering. “You might want to start now.”

”Okay,” Tim breathed out, “okay, the signal is when I say “fight me”, alright?”

”Got it.”

”Operation Escape is a go.” Tim whispered.

Bart immediately turned to Cassie, and shoved her backwards. She landed on the ground, and glared up at the boy.

”What the hell is wrong with you?” Bart shouted, grunting when Kon grabbed his arm to pull him away from the girl.

Nightwing watched, slightly amazed, as Raven swooped down to help Cassie up. Both girls were glaring at Bart.

”Cassie was right.” She growled. 

“How can you agree with her?” Gar yelled.

”How can you  _not_ agree with them?” Tim questioned as he walked over to stand next to the girls.

“Children, please!” Lex called out as he approached the group. “Stop this pitiful fighting!”

”Tell Tim here that not everything has to-“

”I dare you to finish that sentence, Kon. Surely the clone of  _Super Man_ isn’t afraid of a dare?”

Kon growled and pushed Bart off to the side, and rushed at Tim with his arm pulled back to strike the boy. He was close to hitting him before a hand caught his wrist.

”Clearly we weren’t as ready as I thought we were.” Lex sighed and shook his head before looking at the league. “I’m sorry, they’re not normally so-“

”Fight me, Kon.”

It was beautiful how everyone burst into action. Nightwing heard Lex grunt in surprise as he took off after Tim towards a specific tree that actually did look very fake up close. 

“Okay okay okay, Hunter, can you find the panel?” Tim spoke, pointing at the tree.

”Already found it, here.” Hunter places his hand over a spot on the tree, then ripped it off to reveal a panel with multiple wires and buttons.

”Oh wow.” Tim breathed out, then straightened himself. “Okay, I don’t have gloves on, but you do.” He turned to Batman, who nodded and approached the panel.

”The black wire is a big no-no, so don’t touch that one. The yellow wire shocked me last time I tried it, so it’s not that one, and the buttons don’t work. Uh, maybe pull both the green wire out? Wait..oh duh! Ok ok, the force field is blue, and Lex mentioned something about loving opposites? The opposite of blue on the color wheel is orange. Orange! Pull the orange one!” 

Batman listened with a small smirk, and yanked the orange wire out. It was silent for a moment, and then Bart was there and cheering and hugging Tim. They both laughed when Kon tackled them.

”You did it, man!” Kon cheered, making Tim laugh all over again. 

“C’mon, we’ve got a bald man to take secrets from!”

”Please never say that again, Bart.”

Nightwing followed the grinning boys back over to where Lex was pinned down on the ground, and let a grin of his own take over. Lex was being held down by Raven’s magic, while Cassie and Gar were both sitting on his arms. 

“Your force field is down, Lex.” Cassie taunted with a smirk. “Give it up, you lost.”

”I created you! Why would you want to leave?” Lex yelled in disdain, a deep frown set on his face.

”Hmm,” Tim tapped his chin, “why  _are_ we trying to escape? Any ideas guys?”

”Nah man. The only reason I can come up with is that kryptonite room. Y’know, the one I passed out in.” Kon said. The other kids caught on quickly.

”Oh! Remember when he made me practice vibrating through things? Yeah, being thrown at a wall until I go through it is not fun.” Bart shivered at the memory, then grinned at the Flash when he gasped.

”I think the word ‘Trigon’ speaks for itself.” Raven said, smiling slightly at her friends’ antics.

”Transforming into animals hurts, man.” Gar said. “‘Specially cause my bones literally break themselves over and over again.”

”I don’t like to talk about it, but you know what you did.” Cassie whispered threateningly, just loud enough for the others to hear.

”I feel like being gassed multiple times with fear gas isn’t exactly the best thing ever, either.” Tim piped up.

”He gasses you with  _what?”_ Nightwing shrieked.

”Oh. Oh my god. Luthor, look!” Cassie pointed at the heroes. “Super heroes, Luthor! Ones who could toss you in jail for a long time if you don’t release us. Think about how fast your industries will fall!”

”Think about the headlines! ‘Old man thrown in jail for cloning super heroes and then not setting them free even when the asked nicely!’” Bart exclaimed, and all the kids were reduced to giggles. 

“I recommend you listen to them, Lex.” Super Man grinned at the man, then at the kids. “They might know a thing or two.”

”Fine!” Lex growled. “I’ll release you. Loslassen.” 

Immediately each one of the bracelets fell off the kids’ wrist, and Raven’s magic pulled off the man.

”Sleep.” The girl whispered, and the man fell under her spell in less than a second.

Silence overtook the group as the kids stared at the man, then at each other. Bigger grins spread across faces as the realization set in.

”We’re free. Actually free.” Bart whispered, and all the kids broke out in loud cheers and tight hugs. It wasn’t until a few seconds later that Nightwing realized that they were all also crying. 

“To us!” Bart shouted, voice cracking with his tears. Dick smiled as the cheer was repeated with more teary voices.

”To freedom.”


End file.
